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New Plymouth, Taranaki
Our Focus
If you are a Kiwi male who has suffered sexual abuse. You are not alone. 1 in 6 males in Aotearoa have experienced sexual violence as young men.
You have chosen the right place to begin your recovery journey. We can help you reclaim the life that was stolen from you.
We are here to walk with you… moving towards a better future.
People don’t always need advice. Sometimes they just need a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart to understand.
Hapaitia te ara tika pamau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu
We work with male survivors and their family/whanau to help them build happier and healthier lives. We offer support services that are founded on mutual trust and respect, are non-judgmental, focused on hope and recovery. We believe that all survivors are entitled to make their own decisions and choose their own recovery pathway. We are here to support that choice.
How Can We Help You?
Managing Difficulties
Learn with people who have been where you are.
Make your own decisions.
Walk With Us
Experience our peer support services.
“There is a great deal of strength gained from knowing someone who has walked where you are walking and now has a life of their choosing“
Help Yourself
Read about other survivor experiences and recovery journeys, review our publications and research material.
Our Stories
I have been receiving support at Male Survivors New Plymouth, since approx. August, 2023. Over this time, I have been supported to attend group activities, lunches, excursions, and peer support sessions. The peer support offered by MST has been one of sharing and listening. I have been able to confide and discuss sensitive topics as the mutual respect has grown. My experience has been positive, and I have felt supported by receiving peer support. The male survivor peer workers have kept in contact with me, encouraged and included me, without feeling pressured. I’ve appreciated this service, and the small team at Male Survivors New Plymouth.
Having a weekly catch up with my peer worker from Male Survivors Taranaki is helping me reconnect with a fellow human being and society at large. The support I receive from the peer workers and the other men who are survivors like myself is invaluable. Kind regards.
I am grateful for MST’s support; they take me to do my grocery shopping every two weeks. I have no car so would be stuck if MST didn’t help me. MST helps me keep positive and happy. I feel very lucky.
I’ve been with Male Survivors since they started, and I would like to express my appreciation for helping out when I feel I have a problem. It’s exciting to see how it is growing and growing and I believe the Government should give more funding so it survives in longevity to help genuine people who need genuine help. I don’t have a car or many friends but their visits to my house make a big difference for me.
Tautoko Tāne opened their door to me when I had a problem and needed counselling. My peer worker came with me to Court; this is an example of how they go the extra mile. I feel very comfortable when I go to the house because I’m not judged – I can talk about anything freely. I’m very thankful for the support I’ve received, they have made a big difference in my world.
Thank you MST for the way you allow me to be myself. Every time I come to the house I feel welcome and sometimes I wish I didn’t have to go back to my place, I have nothing there but I always leave feeling happy and in a better headspace. My life has been tough because I feel lots of judgement from people but I haven’t had this from MST, it feels like MST staff know me and understand how hard it is to be a survivor of sexual abuse. Thank you MST for being here, I think my life would be a lot harder without you
I have been coming to the Friday bbqs and I enjoy being with the other men, they help me to be a better person and keep my life focussed on overcoming my issues. We have a good feed and at the same time talk about things. I like laughing too and there’s always someone to make me crack up. I think after coming along I have brothers now that I can ask for help or some tips to help me beat my addictions. My life changed for the better knowing I have brothers who have been where I have and they want to help too. Male Survivors Taranaki is an awesome group and they are doing some good stuff with us men.
Last week when I went to Court I was stressed to the max and Mike from MST helped me keep calm and trust God to get me through my dumb shit. I went for counselling at the house and I was prepared to get smashed by the judge but because my peer worker was there I felt a lot stronger to take it. I am so thankful that I don’t know what to say but I will always support Male Survivors Taranaki, they let me know I am not alone and I am so much stronger now. One day when I get my shit together I want to do peer support and help other men who have been molested like I was when I was 8yrs old, I wish it didn’t happen to me because I know I would be a lot better in my head. God is using MST to help a lot of us survivors to cope with our demons. Thank you MST for your help.
I’ve been using this service for around 3 months and over the course I’ve a noticeable improvement to my mental health and wellbeing. I went from barely being able to leave my house to doing some voluntary work and meeting new people. I’ve never felt accepted as I am here. I don’t feel like the world is against me and I have a path to wellbeing. Male Survivors Taranaki are the most natural and accepting org I’ve worked with. I normally have quite a lot of these types of things but the lads here make me want to stay. I don’t know where I’d be without them.
I was referred to this service through Tui Ora. From the first meeting they explained who they are and the support they provide. They have gone above and beyond to keep in contact and provide a brotherhood type support network that I previously didn’t have and needed. I have felt respected and heard with every interaction whether it be by text, call, or face to face. I believe they provide an essential and much needed service to many like myself. I am personally much better in my overall mental health thanks to being referred here.
My experience has been awesome, and I feel happier and in more control of my life knowing that I have support I can go to and talk to when I need it. They have provided me with a professional service. I was referred through counselling to this service. The peer support work is active with face-to-face contact and text and phone calls. I know I have an open line to the service when I need it. I’m grateful to have the support from Male Survivors. They have invested their time in me and have given an opportunity to pursue a role as a peer support worker which has helped me even more with my healing space and overcoming day to day challenges.
My experience with Male Survivors has been excellent, I have enjoyed the connection this organisation provides, being amongst men with similar experiences , being able to relate , understand the effects within myself helps with everyday decisions and how to move forward, develop to be the best version of myself, and be there for support. A definite highlight from the Male Survivors group was an evening with a Guest Speaker “Jeremy Eparaima”. I found his presentation Raw, unscripted , empowering . Truly blessed to have his story told . The presentation has helped allot with the understanding , reflecting growing up and how experiences have played an influence to where I am today, with this understanding I can make conscious decisions , sometimes out of comfort zone decisions to enable personal growth. In the short time I have been with the group, it has helped to be more present, to show up more, be in the moment and make the most of Life. The Past doesn’t reflect the future and anytime is a great time to start or move another step forward. Continual never ending improvement and personal development.
l enjoyed being told about Male Survivors Taranaki, not knowing that it even existed. Joining the group over a year ago and meeting the peer workers, helped me dramatically improve my own personal situation and their ability to help me with the day to day support being a male survivor of sexual and mental/emotional abuse, is very much appreciated. When l met them l was sleeping in a vehicle and expensive MSD provided community accommodation which was grossly inadequate, with only having fifty dollars to live on a week, from the balance of a benefit. With my stressors and restrictions Male Survivors Taranaki made it easier for me to access the social services and helped me to get long term accommodation, and a job, and to find people to socialize with, even just the basic day to day necessities
l was invited to a regular men’s support group at survivors, we have BBQ’s and interact together. We have endless outings, listening to other men’s testimonial of their abuse, and go to social events like Bowlarama in New Plymouth. We also support other men in the group with basic things like shifting house. Recently we drove down toward Wellington and met a man called Sam Troth who was walking NZ and promoting male survivor issues. He was walking on the main road and so we did twenty kilometres with him to help encourage and support him. The local New Plymouth food bank was collecting food and we also went to the collection point and helped sort the food, l was impressed with the amount of food that had been collected and even more impressed with the amount of Pizzas for lunch that Maz and l shared with the 200 odd volunteers there to help.
This Christmas we are helping one of the ‘survivor brothers’ strip a car down for the stock car competition next year. l am still with Male Survivors Taranaki and will need their help and fellowship into the new year to get stability after spending time homeless. Although l am local to Taranaki, l am not accustomed to living in the city of New Plymouth, and have spent most of my life in rural Taranaki. Being a part of Male Survivors Taranaki is providing a day to back up – from the practical to emotional support and knowing if things aren’t working for me they are there for a coffee and a chat.
I had a really good time meeting Sam Troth in Levin and a group of us walked with him for about 4 hours. It was an awesome day out and I felt I got closer to the other men I was with. I’ve been helping to prepare a car for the Stratford Teams Demolition Derby in March new year and I’ve got to meet more of the men and again there has been lots of talking about our abuse and how we can support each other. I’m very thankful for Male Survivors Taranaki and the help they offer me and the other brothers.
Thank you for helping me to get in to work, and the visiting, and the help getting me into ACC Counselling. I’ve made heaps since I’ve been involved with MST. I feel better about myself.
This letter is provided to Male Survivors Taranaki as support and reflection of their dedication to helping myself over the last couple of years. John Russell Smith is my name, and after many years of hiding from events that occurred while at St Peters School, Cambridge, I have been able to open up about the abuse and sexual exploitation by the priest Gerald Coney. The school has recently put their hands up and apologised for decades of abuse. With support from Male Survivors Taranaki have felt part of an encouraging team. You often think it would be embarrassing to open up about such events, but with the phone calls and visits from MST the degree of unrest is less. Life has many highs and lows, but keeping things on an even keel helps myself, and hose around me, especially my family and friends. In business and life I feel a sense of relief from sharing events that I realise I had very little control of. Trusting that this feedback will assist the organisation and their endeavours.
Since being with MST I’ve felt accepted, and wanted around, it’s a life changer for me coming from drugs and gangs to hanging out with survivors and our support workers. I love the vibes, I’ve never had much attention in my life. To do with my abuse, I could never talk until I met MST, my days are brighter and my nights are more relaxed after having sessions at the MST house or out on activities. I’m grateful for Male Survivors Taranaki and grateful for male survivors in general.
My mental health has been really low and I know I need to get out and do stuff but its not easy when I’m sitting with all this dark stuff in my head. My bros talked about a wellbeing plan I thought I wasn’t so sure about that but there’s stuff there that I think will be good for me, I’ve just got to go hard and not give up. One day when I’m sorted I’ll do peer support too, but not right now. Thanks to Tautoko Tane for helping me get out of this hole.
M & M are doing an awesome job. I know if they weren’t here my life would be crazy bad. Thanks for the coffees and talks, I really appreciate it and look forward to the catchups. Sometimes I think I’m just being a useless bludger but M & M make me feel accepted and I can talk about my PTSD without anyone thinking I’m a nutter. I like coming to the house, there’s always kai in the cupboard and it feels like I can relax there. Thanks for your mahi, I hope you get more money to keep going, the male survivors need you.